David Sal Silva died “begging for his life” as he struggled and was beaten by as many as nine police officers, witnesses say this week.​

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The 33-year-old father of four young children died early Wednesday after Bakersfield, California, police officers responding to a report of an intoxicated man beat Silva. Deputies say the man fought with them and with California Highway Patrol officers, but witnesses and family members dispute that account.​

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The official police account of events is that Davis Sal Silva resisted police officers, leading them to deploy a canine and use batons to subdue him. Silva later had trouble breathing and was taken to a hospital, where he died.​

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Witnesses say they took cellphone video of the incident, but deputies moved in quickly to take the phones. Those witnesses say they watched police beating a helpless man to death.​

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“My brother spent the last eight minutes of his life pleading, begging for his life,” said David’s brother Christopher Silva, who spoke to witnesses but was not there the night his brother died.​

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Witnesses say even as Silva pleaded for help, police did not stop striking him.​

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“When I got outside I saw two officers beating a man with batons and they were hitting his head so every time they would swing, I could hear the blows to his head,” said Ruben Ceballos, a neighbor who was awakened by the sound of screaming.​